Warm Coats and Lingering Smiles
by Mirai Akina
Summary: Calem doesn't understand why Serena always wants to meet him in very cold places. Or why she's always not dressed for the weather. Every time he sees her, she's in short sleeves, a short skirt, short everything. What in the world is she thinking? Serena wants Calem's jacket, and her antics awaken a part of him that changes how he views her. Long, fluffy Kalosshipping.


**Hello, everyone, to yet another holiday oneshot! This time, I'll be diving into Pokémon X and Y, specifically Kalosshipping. This was slightly inspired by my own recent playthrough of the game, where sometimes I found myself thinking that Calem's jacket looked so comfy. Out of all of the male avatars, Calem is definitely the most appealing. Anyway, enjoy this fluffy oneshot, and happy holidays to all!**

Calem watched his breath condense into a small cloud of white air as he absentmindedly walked from the Dendemille City Pokémon Center to the exit leading to Frost Cavern. The snow was falling heavily today, but his trusty blue jacket and skinny jeans were enough to warm him up. Unfortunately, his hair, left out in the open, started to dampen and press against his face.

He hoped that he didn't have to spend too much time outside. As much as he wanted to help Serena with whatever her request was, he was really craving some hot chocolate.

"Calem! Over here!"

He lifted his head up to see his long-time rival and friend, Serena, waving at him from the other side of the bridge. Her breath was also coming out in short, visible huffs, but she had a radiant glow in her eyes that he clearly lacked. Not that he was lifeless on the inside, but Serena was better at conveying her emotions than he was in every way.

"Thanks for coming! I'm sure you won't regret it!"

Calem didn't doubt that. Every second with her served to teach him something valuable that helped him grow as a trainer and a person. She might be his rival, but recently, she had been insistent on inviting him to do various things as friends. At first, he had resisted, too focused on his goal of being stronger. But she was persistent. Very persistent.

No, that was not the true reason. Serena only had to say one thing before he cracked.

"_Calem, throughout our journey, you've always been rushing ahead of us. Even now, you've barely spent time with the group, even though you were the one who introduced me to everyone. Is that your definition of a friend?"_

That one stung. He did not expect Serena of all people to say that to him. She used to be content being swept up by his and their friends' antics, a product of starting a Pokémon journey shortly after moving into a new region. But when she exposed him for not keeping his word of "sticking with his friends," he realized that Serena had grown, not just as a trainer, but as a person.

She was right, and that was why he started hanging out with Serena whenever she asked him to. It eventually extended to the rest of his friends, Trevor, Shauna, and Tierno, but Serena was the one who called him the most.

"This way! I've heard that the Abomasnow living in Frost Cave has another Abomasite. Maybe you can challenge it and obtain another Mega Stone."

Calem gave a lop-sided grin. "Let's hurry before someone else takes it."

He rushed ahead of her, but as he passed her, he noticed that something was off about his rival. Or rather, he noticed what she was wearing: a short-sleeved turtleneck shirt, a poofy purple skirt, low white socks, and a pair of purple Mary Janes.

Things that she shouldn't be wearing in the cold.

"Serena, are you alright? You're shivering pretty badly," he pointed out. Serena shook her head and waved him off. Her half-hearted denial failed to wipe the frown on Calem's face.

…

Thinking back on it, he should have brought her back to the Pokémon Center instead of letting her endure the icy conditions of Frost Cavern. But she kept insisting that she could handle a little chilliness. As if shivering until her skin turned red was a viable way of "handling" the cold. It wasn't the first time she had done this, but he hadn't really noticed until now, when their latest escapade had resulted in her having to soak in a warm bath for a long time.

He knew, though, that bringing up her questionable fashion choices would only invite her to chew him out. Serena was someone who kept herself on top of the latest trends, and she had the money to buy whatever she wanted, which was why it was so baffling that she would choose to suffer instead of putting on a thick coat.

He quickly ended that train of thought, resigned to the fact that he would never be able to understand. If she wanted to wear a particular set of clothes because she felt like it, then she would. Serena was stubborn like that.

Calem quietly chuckled. Yeah, he could envision it perfectly in his head.

"Sounds like you're thinking of something nice." Shauna's voice cut through his inner musings. The black-haired trainer let out a startled cry as his body recoiled. His friend pouted at his reaction.

"Yeesh, I wasn't even being loud this time. Did you forget that you're the one who wanted to meet up?"

Calem straightened himself. "Yeah, I did. Sorry, Shauna."

"Anyway, what's up?" she asked, "How's your training going?"

"It's getting there. We were close to beating Serena a few days ago."

"How close?"

"...It wasn't a one-sided sweep this time. I got her down to three Pokémon."

Shauna's eyes brightened with pride. "Wow, that's amazing! Pretty soon, you could give her a run for her money!"

"Thank you. I'm not planning on stopping now. I'm certain that if I continue my current training regiment, I will catch up to her. For so long, she has been an indomitable wall, and while her strength is inspiring, I feel like it's not impossible for me to be on her level now. My team is also feeling a surge of motivation that I plan on taking advantage of."

She saw how Calem's eyes lit up whenever talking about his rival. It was hard to imagine that he had known Serena for only a year.

"I'll be rooting for you, Calem!" Shauna exclaimed in her cheerful voice. He smiled at his friend's encouragement before suddenly shaking his head.

"Wait, I wasn't here to talk about my training. Shauna, I need you to do me a huge favor."

That was odd. Calem rarely asked for help.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I need you to tell Serena to dress more responsibly. Every time Serena invites me to do stuff, it's always at extremely cold places, and she never dresses for the weather. In fact, it seems like the amount of skin she's showing is increasing!"

Calem said the last part in a way that highlighted just how much of a problem he had with it. Shauna's eyes widened, not expecting him to sound so disturbed.

"So I need you to talk some sense into her so that she doesn't freeze to death. I would do it myself, but she probably won't listen to me. I know girls have an issue with people telling them what they should wear, especially if it's a guy saying it. I don't want to risk her taking it the wrong way because I'm worried about her wellbeing."

He looked away, wondering if he said too much. Shauna would do anything to help her friends, so he didn't need to launch into a detailed explanation like that, right?

"Okay, I'll help you out," Shauna said a bit too slowly. She could visibly see Calem's shoulders deflate in relief. "But, if I don't convince her, you need to step up and talk to her yourself because this could be intentional."

Now he was lost. "It could be intentional? But that doesn't make any sense!"

Shauna shrugged. "That's just what I think. Maybe Serena likes the cold."

"_I guess, but still…" _Calem thought to himself, _"Who roams around in the snow in jean shorts and a shoulderless top?"_

…

"I'm sorry, Miss Champion, but we do not sell that jacket anymore. It's been discontinued for a while now. I can help you find something similar to it."

Serena did her best to put up a friendly smile. "No, that's alright. Thanks anyway!"

When she exited the boutique, a loud groan escaped her lips. "Why is it so hard to find one jacket?! The only place I haven't checked is Anistar City, but at this point, I should just stick to Plan A."

A flash of blue light sprung forth from her bag. It materialized into a red and yellow fox-like Pokémon with large tufts of fur sticking out from her ears. Serena's Delphox brought her branch out from her left arm and lit a small fire.

"Del…"

"Thanks, Delphox. I'm sorry for making you worry."

Her Pokémon then waved her stick around like a baton as she expressed her concerns about her trainer's recent string of poor decision-making. Serena crossed her arms and huffed out, "Save it! It's not my fault Calem isn't picking up on my hints. Hasn't anyone taught him that he should give his coat to a lady when she's freezing?"

"Sooo, I'm guessing you haven't succeeded yet, Serena?"

The honey-haired trainer flinched at the sound of Shauna's voice. "W-Were you eavesdropping?" she accused, whipping her head towards her perky friend.

"I could hear you from the gate. Plus, one look at you is all I need to know that you're still trying to get Calem to give you his jacket."

The teasing edge in Shauna's voice only fueled Serena's frustration. "You should have warned me about how dense Calem is. I made it so easy for myself!"

"Well, if anything, he seems to be noticing that something is up. He actually called me the other day to tell me that you've been freezing yourself into a popsicle."

"Wait, is that why you're here?"

"Yep! He wanted me to convince you to dress more appropriately, but we both know that's not going to happen."

The Kalos Champion looked absolutely scandalized. "He did not. Ugh, Calem! You dense, one-minded, infuriatingly cute-!"

Shauna shushed her before she finished her sentence. "Serena, you're making a scene again." The honey-haired trainer sighed heavily as she grabbed onto the straps of her bag. "Sorry. I just really want his jacket."

"Uhh, I know that I asked this before, but shouldn't you just ask him?"

"Shauna, he's gonna ask questions if I do! And even if he doesn't, I want him to give it to me like that one recycled scene in all of those romantic movies. Otherwise, it'll just feel lame."

Right, that was the real reason why Shauna didn't try to stop Serena the first time she told her about her plan. She almost forgot since she was trying to fulfill Calem's request like a good friend.

"Don't give up," Shauna said, "Calem will come around! After all, there's still some semblance of hope in him if he's worried about you!"

Leave it to Shauna to cheer her up. Serena nodded.

"I won't give up! I will have his jacket, and I will see for myself just how comfy it feels."

The champion walked away with a spring in her step. Shauna waved her friend goodbye before retreating to her inner thoughts.

"_I hope Serena doesn't take it too far."_

…

"_She couldn't convince her," _Calem thought dejectedly as he spotted his rival inside of the Couriway Town Pokémon Center with a magenta, short-sleeved halter top, a purple scarf, a white skirt that barely covered her thighs, and a pair of black boots. Her golden hair was swept up in a ponytail today, and a white cycling cap hid her bangs.

Okay, the scarf and boots were an improvement. Everything else, though…

"Calem, you're staring. Is there something wrong with my outfit?"

His mind initiated a fight-or-flight response. There was a hidden threat in her question.

"_I was counting on you, Shauna! Now, what do I do?"_

"N-Nothing. It's just a bit chilly today."

Serena grinned. "We won't be out long. I just wanted to see the frozen waterfall."

"Ah, so that's what we're doing today."

"Yep! If you were expecting more Mega Stone hunting, I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"It's fine," he reassured, "I was taking a break from training when you called."

They headed out of the Pokémon Center and further into town. Once they passed the stairway leading to the train station platform, they were greeted with the sight of a giant wall of frozen water. Serena walked onto the wooden dock and let out an awed gasp.

"Wow, it's so pretty."

Calem joined her, also relishing in the once-in-a-lifetime view. A cold breeze flew by, and Serena's body shuddered violently.

"T-That w-was c-colder than I t-thought," she said with clattering teeth. Even though she couldn't stop shaking, the honey-haired trainer walked closer to the edge of the pier. It looked as if she was about to step onto the frozen river.

"Serena, what are you doing?"

"I-I'm just going to get a closer look. I-I'll be super quick about it!"

Calem was about to tell her that it was dangerous since the ice could break under her, but after seeing how there were already a few people skating on its icy surface, he instead turned his attention to her shivering form. Why couldn't she have put on a coat?

Not wanting a repeat of their last outing, Calem unzipped his jacket and draped it over his rival's back. Serena straightened herself and turned around to face him. His cheeks were slightly red, and his breath was condensing into tiny puffs. His hair was stuck to his face, damp from the falling snow. She had never seen Calem without his jacket before, and the black, long-sleeved shirt caught her off-guard.

"Hurry up, then. It is really cold out here, and I don't want you to get frostnip again."

She grasped the sleeves of his jacket and nodded slowly. As she stepped onto the frozen river, her mind internally cheered at her plan's success. Finally, she got what she wanted.

Serena slipped her arms into the sleeves and zipped up the coat. She wrapped her arms around her waist as her feet led her to the base of the waterfall. Her hand patted against the fabric, feeling how the material bounced back to return to its original state.

It felt wonderfully soft and comfy, but she didn't feel any warmer than before she had the jacket on.

In fact, she felt empty. The feeling of dissatisfaction that she had tried so hard to avoid came anyway.

…

Calem watched her put on his jacket. He caught the tiny curl of her smile as she lifted her head to glance at the cliff above her. The way she grasped onto her elbows as if to savor the feeling sent an unfamiliar emotion through him.

He had never seen Serena in that shade of blue before. That small revelation quickly led to another realization.

"_She looked good in it."_

Two of his fingers rose to rest on his forehead. Where in the world did that come from? Serena was always pretty.

He blinked dumbly. The cold was getting to him.

When they returned to the Pokémon Center, Serena handed back his jacket with a grateful look in her eyes.

"Here, Calem. Thank you for lending me your jacket."

"I'm just glad you didn't freeze again. Speaking of, I've been meaning to ask you about something."

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any winter coats? I've hardly ever seen you wear one."

She gave a partly guilty smile, and that was all the answer he needed.

…

Calem came home the next day. He wanted to immediately head to his room to search his closet, but his mom insisted on letting her see his Pokémon. While his team kept her busy, he snuck his way upstairs and began his search.

"I thought I had a spare. Where did it go?"

Even after nearing flipping his mattress upside down and creating a pile of clothes in front of his tall mirror, he was unsuccessful in finding what he was looking for. After hastily putting everything back, Calem reconvened with his mom.

"Hey mom, do you know where you put that spare jacket of mine?"

She was understandably confused. "I gave it away as a gift to one of my friends. Why do you ask? Yours look perfectly fine to me."

Calem released a quick grunt of frustration. He should have expected this. "Do you remember where you bought it from?"

"I believe I got it from Anistar City, but they probably don't sell it anymore. At least, not in that color. It's been a while."

"It doesn't hurt to check again. Thanks, mom! I'll be heading out now!" After recalling his Pokémon, Calem rushed out the door, leaving behind one baffled mother.

"I wonder why he asked. He doesn't need a second one. Maybe he's trying to buy it as a gift? But none of his friends are his size..."

…

Calem shifted through his funds as he entered Anistar City. After confirming that he had enough, he headed into the Pokémon Center to heal up his Altaria. It was a long flight from Vaniville Town, and he got distracted by a particularly strong Sky Trainer along the way.

As he waited to retrieve his Pokémon from Nurse Joy, he walked towards the indoor shop. His eyes lit up when he spotted a line of disks resting within a glass display.

"Excuse me, sir," Calem asked the cashier, "What TMs do you have?"

"We currently have Blizzard, Thunder, Fire Blast, Focus Blast, and Hyper Beam. Are you interested in any of these?"

"_Those are incredibly powerful moves! Maybe if I teach them to my team, that could give me a considerable boost!"_

"Yes, I would like to take Focus Blast and Blizzard."

"That will be 140,000."

Calem's eyes visibly bulged. _"D-did he just say 140,000?"_

"Oh, I don't have enough for that. Is there any way I can get them for a cheaper price?"

The cashier shook his head. "Not for these. These moves are widely coveted, so I can't just lower the price."

He frowned and handed one of the disks back. "Then, I'll only take this one. I need Focus Blast more than Blizzard, anyway."

" 70,000 is your total."

He pulled out his wallet and began to fork over his money. However, after a quick count, he realized that he still didn't have enough...and that he wasn't here to shop for TMs.

With an even guiltier frown, he placed the TM back onto the counter. "Maybe not today."

"Will that be all for you, sir."

"Yes, sorry. Have a good day."

His Pokémon was waiting at the front counter when he returned. After thanking Nurse Joy, he entered the streets of Anistar City and heaved a heavy sigh.

"_I got sidetracked! Focus, Calem! For Serena's sake!"_

As he navigated his way to the boutique, an image of Serena smiling as she wore his jacket popped into his mind. He imagined her turning her head to reveal the rest of her grin as she dashed towards him.

Calem had always liked her smile. It was bright, and it conveyed her joy far better than his own. There was always a hint of shyness in his that he could never get rid of. Seeing her smile, especially after she had beaten him in a battle, was the reason why he was able to pull himself up and continue to improve himself. In the end, she was having fun. He was having fun.

Maybe that was why, as he opened the door to the boutique and learned that the store miraculously had his jacket, he was getting her this present.

He wanted to see that smile again, and he wanted to draw it out in a way that did not come at the cost of crushing defeat.

…

It took him a week to hear from Serena again. When she called him on his Holo Caster during another one of his breaks, she surprisingly did not ask him to accompany her. Instead, she only made small talk, inquiring about how his Pokémon was doing and what he had been up to.

"Well, I have to go now. I'll talk to you again sometime, Calem."

"Wait, Serena! Where are you right now?"

"I'm at Lumiose City. Why?"

"Meet me at the Pokémon Center on North Boulevard. There's something I want to give you."

"Oh okay? I'll see you in a bit then."

She hung up, and Calem sprinted towards Kiloude Station. The trip to Lumiose City felt too long, and, once his train landed in the city of light, he found himself dashing through the busy street until he spotted the Pokémon Center's familiar faded-red roof.

As expected, Serena was already there when he arrived. He took a few moments to bring his breathing back to normal.

"Calem, are you okay? Did you run here?" she asked.

"Yeah, just give me a second." He took off his bag and dug his hand inside. Pulling out a dark blue jacket identical to the one he was wearing now, he extended his arm out and presented his gift to her.

"W-What's this?" Serena questioned as she glanced down at the neatly folded piece of clothing before her. Calem gave his shy and boyish smile.

"It's for you. Now you have something to keep you warm whenever you're traveling in colder areas."

She gingerly accepted the gift. Her eyes sparkled with wonder as her fingers probed the material. "This is really for me?"

Calem let out a short chuckle. "Yeah. Why do you sound so surprised? Did you not want it?"

She immediately shook her head and clutched the jacket close to herself. "I do want it! Thank you." Her cheeks were flushed as she smiled gratefully.

Calem had not seen that smile in a long time, not since they had first departed on their journey. The unexpected expression made his fingers tingle and his face warm up. He felt compelled to help her put the jacket on.

Where did this urge come from?

His left arm crossed over his chest, almost to hold himself back, as he sheepishly said, "I'm glad you like it."

...

Things went back to normal. Mostly.

Serena started wearing long pants and winter boots whenever she ended up in colder areas, but in addition to that, she also started sporting the jacket that Calem gave her. When Shauna first saw her friend in her new attire, Serena didn't get that much training done that day.

And speaking of training, Calem soon found that whatever progress he made in closing the gap between him and Serena was merely a hoax. The next time he battled Serena, he had suffered the most humiliating defeat in his career as a Pokémon trainer. Even she was surprised when her Vivillion practically swept aside his team, her fastest record to date.

It looked like Serena was merely in a slump, and he was the one to get her out of it.

"Looks like I win again," Serena dumbly pronounced as she recalled her bug-type Pokémon. Calem cradled his fallen Absol, who growled dejectedly. The honey-haired trainer frowned at the sight.

"Yeah. You did well, Absol. Get some rest," he whispered to his Pokémon.

He stood up and brushed his hair away from his face in a passive act of frustration. Serena ignored the way the small gesture made her heart rate spike. "And just when I thought I was finally making some leeway. You're seriously way too strong, Rena."

Upon hearing her nickname, she softened her guilty expression. At least he wasn't taking the loss too badly.

"You're making a lot of progress," she informed him, "I was just super motivated to train the past couple of days."

That was odd. While he did know that Serena trained her Pokémon, she wasn't like him. She wasn't obsessed with making her team stronger.

"Is there a particular reason why?" he asked.

Frantically, Serena scanned her surroundings before closing the distance between them and pulling out a map of the Kalos region. Calem leaned over, his eyes landing onto where her finger was pointing at.

"I've been investigating rumors of a legendary Pokémon hiding within Terminus Cave. Professor Sycamore was interested in finding out more, but from what I've heard from the locals, a scary amount of power is overflowing from deep within that cave. Even Yveltal seemed uncomfortable in confronting it."

Calem's eyes widened. What kind of legendary Pokémon had the power to unsettle Yveltal, a Pokémon who was practically immortal, so much? He was immensely intrigued. Serena recognized the small sparkle in his eyes and looked up at him.

"That's why I was wondering if you could come with me," she said. Calem's mouth flung open, clearly not expecting her to ask that of him. This was more than a stroll through a short route. It was a full-on expedition.

He quickly composed himself. "I-Of course I want to go with you. But, I have to ask, why me? You are more than capable of taking care of yourself."

Serena frowned. "Even with how strong my team is, legendary Pokémon are legendary for a reason. Everything can go wrong if I'm not careful. Yveltal was different because it knew that the only way it could escape Team Flare was if it came with me. I've actually never faced a legendary Pokémon in a battle before."

Calem nodded, understanding the logic behind her apprehension. She continued answering his question. "And that's where you come in. If I have you covering my back, then I'll feel more confident facing whatever's waiting down there. I trust that you and your Pokémon will be able to do that."

He definitely wasn't expecting to hear that kind of praise from her. Despite the clear difference in their strengths, she still believed in him. It made his heart soar.

Serena took his extended silence as even more hesitation. "There's also something in it for you. If you test yourself against this legendary Pokémon, then it could help you gauge your team's strengths and what you need to work on. Your Pokémon will definitely come out stronger after this."

The way she hastily included the last reason suggested that she was anticipating him to reject her. Her eyes held a glimmer of hope in a sea of uncertain gray.

Didn't she know that he couldn't argue against her?

"When are we leaving?" Calem questioned. Serena's bright smile drew him in yet again.

"Let's leave tomorrow!"

…

Terminus Cave was damp and cold. It wasn't as cold as Frost Cavern, but there was an eerie chill hanging in the air that made him shake slightly. They could both feel the pressure of something powerful lurking deeper within the cave.

It felt like they had been traveling for hours. The Pokémon living there were unusually aggressive, pouncing on them whenever they let their guard down. His team was not used to the sudden and abrupt onslaughts, but they carried on if only to keep up with Serena's Pokémon.

She led Calem through a long and winding path until they ended up in front of a flight of stairs that he knew was blocked before. Serena's frown deepened.

"The person who was blocking the way said to come back after I became the Champion. Does that mean he knows what's up there?" he heard her mumble to herself.

Calem took a few steps up the stairs. "There's no point in wondering about that now. Let's go." She stared at him for several seconds before flashing a determined grin.

"Yeah, whatever it is, we'll confront it together."

They found themselves in a thin, narrow hallway. The tension in the air was suffocating to Calem, and his heart began to race. He felt jumpy, ready to tackle anything. Serena, on the other hand, started fiddling with a quick ball.

"You brought Yveltal?"

"Yeah. I felt like I had to."

He left it at that. His excitement and nervousness blended together, rendering him speechless. He was going to fight alongside a legendary Pokémon against a legendary Pokémon. What more could he ask for?

The hallway opened up to a grand chamber with four different paths leading out of it. An elevated platform rested in the center, and on top of that slab of rock was a massive serpentine creature with an elaborate black and green frill on its back. A pair of eyes composed of four hexagons each sat on top of its black head. More hexagons littered its green body. It did not seem to move.

Calem had to look up just to see its face. This thing towered over them, and now, he wasn't sure if fighting it in a small cave was a good idea. He looked over to Serena and found that she was in the same state as he was.

"Is this actually a Pokémon? It hasn't moved yet," he noted, "And I thought Yveltal was menacing. What's the plan, Serena?"

His rival picked up her quick ball. "The goal is to capture it, but if it doesn't look like that's possible, then befriending it also works."

"Alright, let's give it all we got!"

"Wait, Calem! Don't just rush up to it!"

"Zzzz-dddd-aaaaaa!"

"Meowstic, Fake Out!"

Serena made sure that he heard her annoyed groan. "I wanted to use a quick ball first! Oh, never mind! Yveltal, Dark Pulse!"

…

The first thing they learned was that the mysterious legendary Pokémon had the ability to reverse Yveltal's Dark Aura. It took several attacks for Serena to realize it, but once she did, she realized why the dark and flying type was hesitant on coming here. Once the snake-like Pokémon changed its typing to rock due to Camouflage, she had no choice but to withdraw Yveltal.

Serena sent out Gallade. Calem had already switched to Greninja.

"Draw its attention with Hydro Pump, Greninja!"

Greninja jumped up and fired a high-pressure stream of water, which blasted against the face of the legendary Pokémon. Clearly irritated by the attack, the serpentine shook its body, and the cave began to shake with it. Rocks fell from the ceiling, shattering into a million pieces once they touched the floor.

Calem struggled to keep his balance. His Pokémon weaved through the rain of rocks back towards its trainer, striking every falling precipice with a pair of water shurikens.

"Close Combat!" Serena ordered. In a similar tone, Calem commanded Greninja to use Hydro Pump again. With a combination attack, Gallade rushed in and launched a flurry of punches before jumping to the side and allowing Greninja's attack to connect. The legendary Pokémon gave one last cry before falling flat on its stomach.

"W-We did it!" he exclaimed. Greninja gave a calm nod. Serena walked up to her Gallade and patted him on the back.

"I think we went a bit overboard, though," the champion said as she stared at the collapsed legendary Pokémon. Now that it was lying on the cavern floor, it was easily able to get a better look at the trainers who had bested it. Calem felt his legs give out.

"Are you alright, Calem?"

"Y-Yeah, I think I'm still feeling the effects of that earthquake. It's amazing how it was able to tank all of our attacks, even with such a disadvantage. I guess this is what it's like to fight a legendary Pokémon."

Serena nodded once and recalled her Gallade. She then walked up to the elevated platform and pulled out a full restore.

"Here you go. Does that feel a little bit better?" she asked as she sprayed the medicine onto the legendary Pokémon. As its wounds disappeared, it slowly picked itself up. The legendary Pokémon nodded once in appreciation before tapping its head onto one of Serena's skirt pockets. She heard a popping sound followed by Yveltal's muted cry. The Destruction Pokémon screeched at its former opponent as a sort of greeting call.

Calem shakily got back onto his feet and made his way to Serena's side. "Does Yveltal know this Pokémon?"

"No idea. I think this might be a good time to use the Pokédex," she suggested as she dug into her bag. After bringing out the device, Serena began to scan the unknown legendary Pokémon. Just like when they first arrived, it stood still, letting her register it to her Pokédex.

"Zygarde…" she eventually said. "The Order Pokémon. Dragon and ground type. It's said that it monitors those who are destroying the ecosystem from its home. Do you think it could have been watching us and Lysandre when the ultimate weapon was activated?"

"It had to be," Calem answered, "Lysandre threatened to wipe out every human besides those in Team Flare. That would definitely affect the ecosystem to the point where the region might never be the same again."

"Still, this doesn't exactly explain Yveltal's connection to Zygarde. I'll have to ask the professor for his opinion."

Yveltal flew back to its trainer and circled above her. Zygarde observed the gesture calmly. Calem couldn't help but chuckle. "I think Yveltal is vouching for you."

Serena laughed with him. "Well, we did save Kalos. I'd say that's a good reason to trust us."

The Order Pokémon bowed its head and then used Camouflage again, disappearing from their sight. Serena recalled Yveltal and planted herself onto the rocky floor.

"Can we take a break before we head back out? I don't want to walk for a while," she wearily sighed out. Calem dropped down next to her. "Sure. I'm exhausted, too."

They sat in silence, too tired to start a conversation. Serena played with her Pokédex, scrolling through her almost completed list, while Calem kept his gaze on one of the diverging pathways extending out from the walls of the cavern.

"A-Achoo!"

He jumped when his rival released a small squeeze that shattered the silence abruptly. Serena's body began to shiver, and she immediately opened her bag to pull out her dark blue jacket.

"W-Why is it so chilly in here?"

"I think you're just not used to the cold, Serena."

"Y-You would think that after trotting through Frost Cavern and Route 17 that I'd develop some sort of thick skin, but I guess not."

Calem was going to chuckle, but his nose suddenly scrunched up. It was too late to stop the inevitable, and he sneezed into his jacket sleeve.

"A-Actually, you might be onto something," he relented as he let out his Flareon, "D-do we have anything that could sustain a fire…?"

"H-Hold on. I-I have a bundle of firewood in my bag."

"W-Why do you have something like that?"

"A-A hiker gave it to me."

Sure enough, Serena did have a bundle of wood lying around, and Flareon was happy to start a campfire for his trainer. The Flame Pokémon then hopped into Calem's lap as the two trainers sat closer to the fire. As Calem patted his Pokémon, Serena silently watched as her friend shyly smiled.

He looked so comfy. They were wearing the same jacket and using the same fire, but she still felt cold. She found herself wanting to be where Flareon was.

"Hey, Calem."

Her rival turned to her, giving her his attention. Still facing the fire, she asked, "Could we huddle together? I still feel cold."

He blinked several times. He wanted to ask how, but when he saw Serena curl up to preserve what warmth she had, he knew he needed to do something now and ask questions later.

"Sure, come here."

Almost too quickly, his rival scooched next to him. Flareon leaped out of Calem's lap onto Serena's to help warm her up. Serena giggled and ran her hand through Flareon's mane before nonchalantly moving onto Calem's lap.

"R-Rena?!" he choked on her nickname.

"It's still not warm enough," she replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Not noticing the way his hands were nervously shaking, Serena leaned back and rested her back on his chest.

"That's better."

"G-Geez. How in the world did you endure walking through the entire eastern part of Kalos?"

"Through sheer will-power!"

"Was that a pun?"

Serena giggled as her rival shook his head and tapped his forehead with two of his fingers. Calem shifted his legs so that she was not directly sitting on his thighs. Now that there was another person in between him and the campfire, he leaned forward, his head peering over her shoulder. On instinct, he wrapped his arms around her.

"C-Calem?"

"Don't hog all of the warmth for yourself. You already have Flareon in your lap," he scolded into her ear. She turned her head away and pouted, not wanting him to see how much of an effect he currently had on her. One of his arms was so close to her heart, which was rapidly thumping against her chest.

Serena then felt a pressure on her back lightly pushing her forward. The arms around her pulled her closer to the boy holding her. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Calem's eyes dropping down slowly. His hair brushed against her warm cheeks.

"Tired?"

"Just a bit," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.

"You should rest," she urged, "It's okay to slow down once in a while."

"Yeah, I know. But right now, I don't want to." Calem's sleepy tone held a tiny spark of resistance.

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because…" he let out a small yawn, "for some reason, it feels...nice sitting here and being with you. If I fall asleep now, then I'll think everything's a dream. And...I want to enjoy this for just a little longer..."

"Is that how you truly feel?"

He didn't answer her. A series of rhythmic nudges against her back told her that Calem had lost the battle against himself. Serena giggled and adjusted his arms so that both of them were wrapped around her waist. She leaned back again so that he wasn't threatening to push her down into the rocky floor with his weight. This placed her in the perfect position to take a peek of his face. A portion of his hair was in the way, so she gently brushed the strand back.

There was a small patch of red on his cheek. His mouth was slightly curled up in that cute, bashful grin that made her heart flutter. Before she could question herself, she reached over and softly pressed her lips against his reddened skin. He did not move.

Somehow, she was okay with this. She was okay with the fact that Calem would never know about her kiss. Because she knew that underneath his one-minded pursuit for strength, there was hope that he could come to think of her as more than his rival.

"Sleep tight, Calem. No matter what happens from here on out, I hope that you'll keep the part of you that makes you who you are."

…

_Several days later…_

"Calem, there's a package for you!" His mom hollered from the living room. He groaned once and pulled the covers over his head, annoyed that someone was interrupting the one day of rest he gave to himself.

"It's from Serena!"

His body shot straight up. His face became coated with a scorching crimson color. The memory of that day inside of Terminus Cave unfolded in his mind again.

"_No, not again! I don't want to think about how amazing it was to hold her like that, or of that really cute and timid smile of hers, or of how irresistible she looks in my jacket!"_

His mind was incapable of screaming in agony. The feelings tucked deep inside his heart had broken through to invade his entire being, and he couldn't do anything about it. Hence why as soon as he realized he had a massive problem, he did the only thing that he knew.

He trained himself to the point of exhaustion until he couldn't even remember what type advantages were.

It didn't work.

Calem shook his head several times, trying to kill his desire to find Serena and hug her again. _"I think I'm going crazy."_

A brief flash of that day retaliated against his attempt to hide his feelings again. _"For some reason, it feels...nice sitting here and being with you. If I fall asleep now, then I'll think everything's a dream. And...I want to enjoy this for just a little longer…"_

"I can't believe I said that to her…"

As Calem fought another losing battle against himself, his Greninja stealthily climbed up the stairs to his trainer's room holding a box. The Ninja Pokémon croaked once, and Calem sharply recoiled. Greninja worryingly stared at him as he placed the box on the bed.

"T-Thanks, Greninja. I wish I knew why I'm like this," he harshly groaned, "Might as well get up now." Climbing out of his blankets, he changed out of his pajamas and prepared himself for the day. Once he snapped his Mega Ring onto his wrist, he turned his attention to his present. Gingerly peeling off the wrapping, Calem opened the box and found a maroon outdoor hat with a pair of black, wide-framed glasses attached to it.

He lifted the cap to take a better look. "Why would she…?"

Peering into the box again, he saw that there was a small note at the bottom.

_Hey, Calem!_

_I saw this the other day, and I thought it would fit you perfectly. I don't think you have a hat to protect your head from the snow or rain, and I've noticed how you hate having your hair stick to your face. I guess this is also my way of making up to you for dealing with me and my poor decision-making the past few weeks. I'll admit it. I really can't handle the cold._

_I guess this makes us even now, right? I look forward to our next battle._

_Serena._

_P.S.: I really like your jacket, but I think it looks better on you._

His eyes widened. Did she just compliment him on his looks? He walked over to his mirror and stared at his reflection.

Serena thought he looked good.

"_Hold on. She said that my jacket looks better on me than her. That was just her opinion on my clothes. She wasn't trying to compliment me. Wait, why was I even trying to interpret her words like that?"_

His gaze fell onto the red hat in his hand. Putting it on, Calem chuckled to himself when he realized how the hat, even though it was a speck of red amidst his entirely blue attire, blended in with his clothes. He smiled goofily as a wave of warmth flooded his body. The same kind of warmth he had been fighting the past several days.

"_What am I doing? She's my rival and my friend! Friends give presents to each other. Friends help each other. This is nothing new."_

However, in the back of his mind, he knew that this is different. This was his first gift from Serena. This was the first time he wanted something else other than strength.

The heat on his face was unbearable. His reflection stared back with a pitiful half-smile, an indication of his ongoing internal battle.

"_I'm screwed, aren't I?"_

…

_A month after the encounter with Zygarde..._

Serena exited Professor Sycamore's lab in need of a cup of hot milk tea. The sun was starting to set, and Lumiose City began to glow with a soft orange and pink color.

"_Is it already this late? Maybe I should go get dinner instead."_

She had just concluded her weekly meeting with the professor regarding Zygarde and the Zygarde cells that had been showing up as of late. The professor eventually assigned his two assistants, Sino and Dexio, to investigate the matter further after realizing that the cells were heading towards a specific direction.

"_Doing research is definitely not my thing. I couldn't keep up with what Professor Sycamore was saying half the time."_

She felt her bag rumble. Serena rummaged through her belongings until she found her Holo Caster. Activating the device, she lightly gasped when a hologram of Calem manifested before her. He hadn't changed much, still wearing his signature blue jacket, but on top of his head was a maroon hat.

"_He's actually wearing my hat!"_

Calem's eyes wandered nervously. "Serena?"

She blinked. "O-Oh, sorry! I've had a long day. What's up? And I see that you got my gift."

Calem tipped the rim and gave his timid smile. "Y-Yeah, I did. Thank you. It's a wonderful present. Anyway, are you free at the moment?"

"Yeah, just about to go grab something to eat."

He took a deep breath. "Serena, let me take you out to dinner."

She couldn't stop herself from releasing a sound of disbelief. "W-What?!" Was Calem actually asking her out? Her friend kept a determined stare as he said, "I miss spending time with you, Rena. I've heard from Trevor that you've been pretty busy helping the professor recently, so please let me treat you. I'll even pay for everything."

Serena realized that Calem knew what he was doing. The gleam in his eyes was focused and intense. It was the same look he had whenever he was enthralled in a fierce Pokémon battle. She couldn't deny that his stare made her stomach flutter. Calem began to fidget when Serena continued to stand there with her mouth wide open.

"Just say yes, already!" Shauna's voice blared from the Holo Caster. Calem lost his calm and confident demeanor as he snapped his head to the side. "Shauna!"

Serena finally found the will to speak. "W-Wait, are you with…?"

"Hey, Serena," Tierno butted in.

"We're here to give Calem emotional support. Well technically, this was all Calem's idea, but we're here in case he backs out," Trevor casually explained. Calem buried his face into his hand. "You weren't supposed to tell her that!" he groaned, "That's it! You guys can leave the room now! No, I'm not going to bail, so please wait outside!"

When he finally faced Serena again, he had a deep frown on his face, clearly frustrated that he was sold out. "There goes all of my confidence…"

Serena giggled. "Can you ask me again?"

"What?"

"Ask me out again," she repeated, her smile adorning her flirty eyes. Calem gaped for several seconds before realizing what she was trying to do. He adjusted his hat and sucked in another deep breath.

"Rena. Would you have dinner with me tonight?"

She beamed. "Of course!"

**A.N. That wraps up this year's holiday oneshot. Shoutouts to my editors, Fum and Luna, for proofreading this long fanfic (I swear I'll learn how to write shorter stuff)! To my followers, next chapter of Monochrome Precure will be coming out before the end of the month, so look forward to that! Happy holidays, everyone! Make sure to spend some time with the people you care about!**

**As for now, though…**

_**Fin.**_


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